Second Eve: Angels
by Aragem
Summary: The survivors find a safe refuge from the Demons horde govern by an Angel. However, not everything is as it seems.
1. Arrival

We drove for two days before we came to the settlement. Michael was animated constantly talking about his hopes about it.

"God, I hope they have electricity and hot water. I would love to listen to music while taking a hot shower," he said stepped on the pedal in his haste to get there.

"Don't get your hopes up," Emmi said dryly. She was sitting in the front passenger seat leaning her elbow against the window and proping her chin on her hand. "For all we know the demons have already torn the place apart by the time we get there."

"No, the message has been repeating itself nonstop since we heard it. It has to originate from somewhere that has power and access to a radio transmission," Michael pointed out.

"Then it's probably a bandit camp luring in victims."

"Emmi, shut up. You're not pissing on this. Jesus, this is what we have been looking for for weeks and you're acting like a bitch about!"

I really wished that they wouldn't fight right now. My head was pounding and their sharp voices was making it worse.

"And we shouldn't rush in. We don't know if the message promises is true or not. We barely made it out that trap and Yemina was nearly killed. We can't afford to waltz into another one."

"So we ignore it? What if it is actually a safe place!? A safe place with food and protection? A place that we can stay and not have to drive around and scavenge through houses and stores. And just not have to be scared all the time. For one, just for one night, I want to go to sleep without being scared that a demon is going to cut my head off while I'm sleeping. We can't pass it up because we're scared."

Michael had trouble sleeping? I didn't know that. But then, since we've been traveling with Sunny and Emmi, we haven't really been alone together that much.

I glanced over at Sunny who was nibbling on a candy bar in the seat next to me. She had been quiet since we left the bandit's town. Was she thinking of the boy we had left behind? Thinking back on it, the moral thing would have been to find the boy and take him with us, but we had no idea of where to find him or if he would willingly come with us. Between passing out I suggested it, but Emmi quickly shot it down.

"No way! I'm not having a mini-bandit around me waiting to slit my throat or rob us blind. Let him rot here."

Michael didn't say anything. I think he agreed with Emmi, but was too ashamed to admit it out loud. We left that town and it was only Sunny that looked back behind us through the rear window.

It was a dark night with no moon. It had to be cloudy as there were no stars in the sky. The only light was from the headlights. Michael wouldn't stop driving, he was insistant that it was just a little further. Emmi tried to talk him into stopping for the night, but he refused to stop.

"It's just a few miles this, just a few more miles."

"You said that an hour ago!" Emmi told him. "We can be too easily spotted with the lights on!"

"Then I'll turn them off."

"No! You idiot! We'll crash!"

"Guys," I raised my voice even though it was parched. "Let's not do this, okay? Michael, you can drive for twenty more minutes, but then start looking for a place to park. Emmi, leave him alone and keep your eyes open for St. Johns or demons, alright."

That settled the matter for now. I closed my eyes and must have dozed off because I was awaken by Sunny shaking my arm. "We found it! It's over there!"

My eyes opened and it took several seconds before I noticed the lights in the distance. Street lights, actual street light glowed. Michael was leaning forward that his chin nearly touched the steering wheel. Emmi was leaning forward as well, but while Michael's eyes were bright, hers were hard scanning the distance.

I leaned forward as the car drew closer and we passed a sign stating St. Johns Community. There was a tall brick wall and over it I could see several buildings with outside stairwells going up three stories. Michael drove along the wall and turned a corner. He screeched to a halt when a man carrying a rifle waved at us. Emmi cursed and fumbled at her belt, likely getting her knife. Michael rolled down the window as the man approached.

The man was clean shaven and his jacket looked new. He stood at Michael's window and glanced in at us. "Ya heard the message?"

"Yes sir," Michael replied.

He looked each of us over. I could smell soap and aftershave on him as he leaned in. He seemed to approve of what he saw and said, "Ya don't look it, but I'm gonna tell ya all the same. If ya'll are here to cause trouble, then ya best take it somewhere else. We won't bat an eye to tossing your asses right out of here."

"I understand. We . . .we just want to be safe," Michael told him.

"Then this place is as safe as ya ever gonna get nowadays. Go on to the gate and they'll see if ya can get in or not. Ain't up to me." He motioned us onward.

As the car went forward Michael murmured, "What's the requirements for getting inside?"

"They probably just want to make sure that we're not trouble before they let us in." I assured him, but then I felt a tremor of worry myself. If they turned us away, then where do we go next?

Ahead a man and a woman was waving at us toward an open gate. There was a security checkpoint where another man was waiting. I noticed that he had a holster gun and wore a cowboy hat. A lit cigar was tucked into his mouth and the end glowed brightly. The street lights spread over us as the car drew close. After having lived for so long without electricity, it felt alien to me. Michael parked the car at the checkpoint and the man approached us. He motioned for us to get out. Emmi's lips tighten and I knew she didn't like it. I open the door and stepped out and took Sunny by the hand and held it tightly. I was afraid, I have to admit. Anything could happen now. I was both scared that they would take our things and kick us out or just simply killed us.

The cigar smoker eyed Emmi who had her hand on the hilt of her knife. "Is she going to cause trouble?"

"No! I said quickly. God, Emmi was going to get us tossed out before we even got inside. "We . . .we just been through so much. We've been attacked and . . .we're all on edge. Emmi, stop."

She dropped her hand from the hilt and crossed her arms. The man stared at her for several moments, then turned his attention to the rest of us, "I'm Justin Bobarr, I used to be the Sheriff in the nearby town, but right now I'm the Sheriff of the Community. I'm going to ask you a few questions and then I'll call it in and see if you can come in."

"Why wouldn't we be allowed in?" Emmi asked abrasively.

Michael gave her a fierce glare, but Emmi kept her eyes on the man, her chin up. The man chewed on his cigar for a few moments studying her, then said, "We can't let just anyone inside these walls. We got good people here and we want to keep the bad out. We got a zero tolerance for any criminal activity inside these walls. I won't lie about it, we have turned people away and even kicked out some. So consider this your one and only warning if you should stay."

"We understand," I said. "We'll answer any questions you have."

"Good. First, name and ages. And how you are related."

I introduced each of us and provided our ages. Emmi quickly corrected me when I said she was twelve. "I'm thirteen now."

"Thirteen? When did you turn thirteen?" I asked her.

"Back at the cabin, but don't worry about it," Emmi said quickly shaking her head.

Sunny tucked her face against my leg as I introduced her. She peeked at the man shyly with both hands grasping my leg. He looked surprised when I told him that I wasn't their mother. "So you've been taking care of these kids all on your own?"

"Well, they've mostly been taking care of me. Michael keeps the car running and Emmi goes hunting." I told him.

"And what of their parents?" he inquired.

"I don't know. I was away from home when the . . .demons came," Michael said. "I haven't seen them since I left."

"And the girls?"

"We're step sisters," Emmi explained. "My mom passed away and her mom left when she was a baby. Our dad . . . our dad isn't here." She glanced down at Sunny who still had her face pressed against my pants leg.

The man thankfully understood her meaning and didn't press for details. "Any illnesses? Do you need any medication?"

I shook my head, "No, we're all healthy . . . healthy as we can be despite the constant hiding and running."

"Okay, one last question. Anyone of you on drugs, junkies, or addicted to anything?"

"No, no, we're clean. The only drugs we've used has been generic aspirin," I assured him.

"Alright, wait here. I'm calling it in. We'll see if the Head Office will give you the okay or not." He turned away and went to the security box and spoke into the phone, "I had some new people wanting in. A woman thirty years old, a boy age fifteen, a girl age thirteen, and a little girl age four."

I held my breath and silently prayed. Surely, they have room. Look at all the buildings, they surely must have some room for us. I couldn't bare to think about what we would do if we were turned away.

The Sheriff listened for a few moments and nodded, "Yes sir. I'll take care of 'em." He hung up and then approached us again. His boots crunched on the pavement and my pounding heart seemed just as loud. "Alright, folks, welcome to the Community."

I released my breath and Michael let loose a soft 'yes!'. Emmi's expression didn't change much, but I could tell that she was little bit relieved, but still wary.

"We got rules here, but it's late and I know ya'll are anxious to get hot baths and get into soft beds so it can wait till morning. I'll arrange for someone to come by and go over them with you in the morning." He took his cigar from his mouth and tapped it to shake loose the ashes. "Now before I have Rhonda show you to your apartment, you'll have to turn in all weapons."

"No way!" Emmi snapped. "You can't take our weapons!"

"Yes, I can, little lady." Bobarr said firmly with gruff authority in his voice. "If you want to be on our side of the wall, then you will turn in all weapons. This is non-negotiable and if you can't handle that, then feel free to turn around and get outta here."

Before Emmi could utter another word, I grasped her arm, "Give us a moment, please." I nudged Sunny over to Michael and had him hold her hand while I drew Emmi with me behind the car.

Emmi was fuming, her jaw set and eyes hard as stone. I grasped her shoulders and whispered, "Emmi, don't ruin this for us."

"I'm not giving up my knife," she hissed.

"You have to. Look at this place. Just look at it!" I pointed behind her toward the interior of the walls. The buildings were untouched, all windows were solid without any cracks and actually looked cleaned. The streets were free of litter and abandoned cars without a sign of damage anywhere. And the pavement glowed beneath the street lights. I pointed all of this out to her, "Demons have not even touched this place. They have electricity here and plenty of food. We'll be safe here, Sunny will be safe here. I know you're afraid . . ."

"I'm not afraid," she said.

"Then be brave, okay?"

Emmi bit her lip and glanced at Sunny was leaning her head against Michael's leg, likely nodding off against him. Then Emmi finally nodded, "Fine. I don't like it, but I'll do, alright. I'll do it."

It took twenty minutes. Once we handed over all of our weapons, he went through our bags and belongings to make sure that weren't smuggling in anything illegal and then gave us the clear. The woman who had waved us in at the gate led us toward the apartments.

The Community had a long drive lined by sidewalks. There was paved walkways that led up to each apartment. Rhonda was a friendly robust woman. She was thick shoulder, nearly like a man's and her hair was cut into a pixie cut. She was talkative and spoke to us as we walked, "We're setting you in apartment C3. That means you'll be in building C on the third floor. You'll be sharing the building with Brian Toby and his granddaughter Margery Toby, but we call her Little Maggie for short. She's about your little girl's age so they'll be able to play together."

I was carrying Sunny who had finally given into her sugar crash and was sleeping with her head on my shoulder. It did hurt my arm, but I was so happy to be there, I didn't care.

Rhonda noticed my arm which was still wrapped up in cloth, "I'm sorry if I'm being nosy, but is that smarting? Tomorrow, Doctor Hanson can take a look at it."

"You have a doctor?" This place got better and better.

"Oh yes. His office is in the Central Building where we have school and our daily meetings. No appointment needed, just show up whenever you need him."

We have access to a doctor. There was no need to fear infection or illnesses because there was someone to help us. My vision blurred streaking the lamp lights into long stars. I wiped my eyes on my sleeve, my joy seeping out of me through tears. "I'm sorry, it's . . .it's just wonderful. You don't know what it's . . ."

"Honey, I know what's it been like." Rhonda's voice was heavy and distant. "A lot of us know."


	2. Greetings

The apartments we were assigned had two bedrooms with two twin beds apiece with attached bathrooms. There was a single kitchen and living room with a TV set. It smelled cleaned as if someone had just been finished housework. I carried Sunny into the second bedroom and laid her down. I took off her shoes and jacket and drew the blankets over her. I investigated the bathroom. It had a tub shower combo installed and when I turned on the facet clean water flow freely from the facet and to my delight it slowly warmed up. I began shucking off my clothes. I couldn't wait until morning, I had to bathe now.

Switch the water flow to the overhead shower and stepped in. My skin tingle as the warm water flowed over me wetting my hair and rinsing my body. The soap was a liquid dove soap in a small sample bottle. It was pure ecstasy to lather that soap over my body and scrub my hair clean with Head & Shoulders. Weeks of grime, sweat, and dirt swirled in the water at my feet before going down the drain.

In the next room I could hear Michael praising the room as if it was the top floor suite of a Vegas hotel. Emmi was quiet, likely looking over the room as if she was scavenging. I spent twenty minutes under the warm shower before I turned it off and stepped out. There was a thick robe which I pulled on and stepped quietly into the bedroom feeling clean for the first time since the Apocalypse. I got into the bed with Sunny and curled my arm over her. Our bed was next to the window and I was able to look outside.

Outside there was a building that was different from the rest. It had four stories and the top story wasn't made of brick as the rest of the buildings, but of marble. It looked as if it had been tacked on top of the building after its construction. The windows were oval and large with glass that curved outward. One of the windows had a steady light and for a moment, I believed I had seen movement within. As if someone had been looking out the window and had stepped away just then.

I was too tired to give it much more thought. I drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up, it was to the smell of eggs and bacon. It was such a foreign smell that I trouble figuring out what it was I was smelling. I got up and went into the living room. Michael was standing at the oven cooking while Emmi sat at the kitchen bar sipping from a glass of juice and nibbling on bacon.

"Morning." Michael greeted and scooped scrambled eggs onto a paper plate and set it on the bar for me. "Is Sunny up?"

"She's still asleep. I'm going to let her sleep in and when she gets up I'm giving her a good bath.

"I took advantage of that myself earlier." Micheal's hair was damp and I could smell the soap from his skin and hair. "This is great! They already had a stocked kitchen for us!"

"Did anyone come in and stock it?" I asked as I reached for a salt shaker.

"No, no one came in last night." Emmi finished off her orange juice and said, "I locked the door and slept on the couch. If someone came in, then I would have heard."

"You slept on the couch? Why? Wasn't there a bed in the other bedroom?" I cut the egg up with a fork Michael handed to me.

Emmi shrugged, "No sense in being careless until we know for sure this place is okay."

"Emmi, look at this." Michael comically pointed at the stove and lifted the pan so the lit eye could be seen. "Working gas." Then he turned on the water at the sink, "Running water." Then he reached over and began flipping the lights on and off. "Electricity. This place is safe. If demons came here, then they wouldn't have any of this stuff."

Emmi rolled her eyes, "We can't let our guard down. If something is too good to be true, then it usually is. I mean, how do they keep demons away? How does this place have power and food where everything else is fucked up?"

"I'm sure we'll find out," I assured her. "Just relax. I don't think they would have gone through all that questioning outside just to bring us inside and kill us."

Then just as we finished eating, there was a knock at the door. I got up and opened it. There was two people waiting at the door, a man and a woman. The woman was thin and wore a blue blouse and dress pants. Her hair was auburn brown cut short to frame a round cheerful face. She held a casserole dish with foil folded over the top.

The man beside her was middle age with balding hair. He had a protruding waistline and I could see that they each had wedding rings. They stood side by side as in the comfort that long married couples who still loved each other had. I was never married long enough nor loved my ex-husband enough to develop this comfort.

"We come to greet you to the neighborhood." The woman held out the casserole dish with a warm smile. "Sheriff Bobarr told us that you came in last night. I made a casserole for you."

"That's . . . that's wonderful." I felt my eyes prick with tears. Something as normal as baking a casserole to welcome new neighbors had been forgotten under months of terror and struggle. I never thought that I would witness anything so casual and friendly again. "Sorry, I'm just . . . overwhelmed by how wonderful this place is."

"Honey, we know. We were out in that nightmare ourselves for months before we got here. Most of us here has." The woman gave me a sympathetic smile. "My name is Rebecca Thornton, but please, call me Becky. This is my husband George Thornton. We would have brought the kids, but I didn't want you to be overwhelmed so soon after getting here. I love all five of 'em, but they can be a handful when they're riled."

I let them inside and gave introduced Michael and Emmi. Michael happily waved at them and Emmi studied them carefully. I hoped that the Thorntons wouldn't be offended. "Our last one is Sunny, but she's asleep right now. We've had a long journey to get here and she was very tired last night. Have a seat and I'll get dressed."

I quickly returned to the bedroom and reluctantly changed into my old clothes. I hated that they were still dirty and smelled, but there was nothing else. I returned to the living room where Becky and George Thornton were seated on the couch making small talk with Michael.

"I played some baseball before the demons came, but I never had a chance to tryout for football," Michael said. He was at the sink washing dishes. "I was never really into football."

"I think that football is given too much attention," George said. "Tennis was my sport when I was teenager. It's better to be one on one when it comes to competitions."

"Did you participate in any sports, dear?" Becky tried to include Emmi in the conversation.

"Archery," Emmi clipped.

"Oh? That must have been an interesting sport," Becky replied uncertain of Emmi's attitude.

I quickly stepped in. "Thank you so much for the casserole. It's been so long since I had any."

"You're very welcome," Becky beamed brightly. "We're also here to go over the Community's rules with you and give you a tour if you are up to it. Oh, and to answer any questions that you may have."

"Well, let's have the rules first." I sat down on an armchair, hopefully far away that they can't smell my clothes, but not too far that it seemed rude. "I certainly don't want us to be kicked out for disobeying any rules."

George leaned forward, withdrawing his arm from where it had laid across his wife's shoulders. "If Bobarr seemed gruff at the gate, it's only because we don't allow troublemakers. Criminal activity is not tolerated at all and unfortunately, Bobarr and his men had to escort people out of here. Before we arrived, we were told that there was this couple who had raided Dr. Hanson's office for drugs."

"Fortunately, their little girl was allowed to stay," Becky chimed in.

"Right, and there was this family who had three boys. The father was a drunkard who kept picking fights." George adjusted his glasses while he spoke. "Bobarr gave him plenty of warnings, but then the Head Office gave Bobarr the order to escort them out and out they went."

"The poor kids went with them," Becky sighed. "I know it sounds harsh, but the rules are what kept us safe."

"Right. Just follow the rules and you'll be safe and happy," George encouraged.

The rules were pretty straight forward. Curfew began at 9:00 unless permission was granted to be out late. The Central Building was opened between 9:00 to 6:00 each day and it was mandatory for children to attend school where George and another woman taught. Only Bobarr and his men were allowed to carry weapons when they patrolled outside the walls of which were restricted.

There were other rules that were common sense. Don't litter, don't cause trouble, etc.

"Is it true that an Angel is the leader of this place?" Michael, who had been at the kitchen counter listening spoke up.

"Yes, if you saw the Central Building they set up that extra story for their own use. No one is allowed up there without permission. But everything from the third story down is available." Becky held her husband's hand and looked simply at peace. "This is a very good place, dear. I don't know what would have happened to us if we hadn't heard the message and came here."

Emmi who had been sitting away at the bar, decided to be heard. "How does everything work? I mean I saw the walls and I know demons could go through it easily and how come you have electricity and gas and food? I thought all of this would have been stolen or smashed by demons by now."

"The angels keep us safe. They use magic to keep demons away and their magic is what provides us everything we need to survive," George said with pride. "And because they are using so much of their power to help us, they pretty much get the final say on who stays or goes. They're strict, but fair about it."

"Have they turned people away before?" I asked anxious.

"Yes. They had to turn away a group last month. A bunch of rough looking guys. It's a shame too, they had a ten year old boy with them."

My blood turned cold. I glanced at Michael whose was looking away and Emmi who suddenly found her fingernails interesting.

Becky noticed our silence, "Is something wrong?"

"No, it's . . . we ran across a group like that. They tried to rob us." I bit my lower lip.

"Oh no! Was anyone hurt?" Becky leaned forward to touch my knee expressing her sympathy.

_We killed all of them except the kid and we abandoned him. _I told them, "No, we got away."

We spent the next hour having coffee and talking about life before the Apocalypse. We mostly talked about life before the Apocalypse. George had been a middle school teacher while Becky had been a stay at home mother. They had been living in Illinois when the demons came.

"I keep praising God that school had been out that day and we were all together when they order evacuations," Becky said while she and George held hands. Their fingers laced together as they comfort each other in their shared memory. "We gathered up all our belongings and tried to go to the shelters, but there was a traffic jam and we couldn't get there."

Hearing them talk about it just brought back memories of how I heard about the meteors. "I was going shopping with a friend when I heard the news. I . . . I didn't even go home, I just went straight to a shelter. And it was really cramped."

"Thank God we didn't make it to ours." George rubbed his bald forehead as if trying to soothe his mind of that horrifying day. "We were told later that a giant demon landed next to it and tore the place apart. We got out off the main road and got out of town. It was horrible. The demons were killing everyone they could get their hands on."

George fell silent and his wife rubbed his shoulder. "We just drove and drove. Thankfully, I have a brother that lived outside of town in a trailer. We stayed there for a few days hoping that the US government would come, but we had to move on once demons started going outside of the town."

"It's a long story, hon." George took her hand and rubbed it. "Perhaps it's something we should save for Group."

"You're right. Yemina, you and the kids should really come to Group. We have it each day at 5:00. Most of us have endured terrible things before we got here," Becky told me. "It helps to talk about it and everyone will be there so that's a good way to get to meet everyone."

At that moment, the bedroom door opened and Sunny stepped out rubbing her eye. Becky glowed when she saw her, "Oh, Yemina, she is _beautiful_. Hello, darlin'."

Sunny silently watched them for a moment before turning to me, "I didn't know where you were."

"It's alright, honey. I was out here visiting with Becky and George Thornton. You don't have to be scared anymore." I held out my hands and she came to me. I settled her on my lap and held her close.

Becky leaned toward Sunny grinning in the way only a seasoned mother would at the sight of a child, "How old are you?"

Sunny held up four fingers.

"Four years old? I have a little girl named Louise who's five and I'll bet you two will become good friends. There's a swing set behind the central building and Louise loves it."

Sunny offered a small smile before burrowing her face into my shoulder being unusually shy. I stroked her hair and grimaced at how greasy it felt. I stood up with her against my chest and said, "We're still adjusting to everything. We weren't even sure that this place was for real on the way."

"Neither did we. We were . . .we were in a bad way by the time we got the message." Becky looked as if she didn't want to give further detail. I walked them to the door with Sunny still in my arms. She had curled her arms around my neck. I began to worry if she was getting sick again.

"Again, we just want to tell you how good it is to see new faces around here, especially a family as nice as yours." Becky gave me and Sunny a brief hug. Oh no, I bet she smelled us and I was embarrassed. Becky drew back and said in a low understanding voice said, "If you want me to, I can take a load of laundry down and put them on for you. It's on the bottom floor. I can show your son where it is."

"Oh, thank you. Thank you so much." I was so happy and relieved that she understood and didn't judge us.

"Tomorrow is Sunday Services, you should come, it's good for the soul." Becky patted my shoulder.

Sunday? Tomorrow was Sunday? My God, we had stopped keeping up with the days a long time ago when we started living day to day. "Well, yes, we don't really have anything formal . . ."

"It's casual. Jeans and t-shirts are welcome."

After one last goodbye, they left us. I closed the door and turned to Michael and Emmi, "They seem like nice people."

"I'm not going to church." Emmi said sourly.

"Oh, c'mon Emmi, we know there's a God, we got angels." Michael rolled his eyes. He was washing the dishes with the determination that Emmi wasn't going to spoil the goodness will he had.

"Well, that God allowed demons to come to Earth and kill everybody so fuck him."

"Emmi!" I was shocked, though I too felt similar feelings toward Him during days of hunger and fear. I set Sunny down and told her to go the bedroom and wait for me there. Once she was gone, I approached her older sister and said carefully, "Emmi, please, please, don't share this attitude with the other people. If you don't want to go to Church, then I'm not going to make you, but when we are around other people be polite, okay?"

"She probably forgot how to be polite acting like Robin Hood and Rambo," Michael muttered.

Emmi stood up nearly knocking over her stool. "Listen, dumb shit, it was my hunting that kept us fed and it me killing those guys that saved us. If it wasn't for me we'd all be raped and murdered. You didn't hear what those guys had in store for us. And another thing, Yemina, you don't need to cover for me I don't care if people know that I'm a killer, I'll open that fucking window right now and scream it across this compound."

"We're not ashamed of you!" I said quickly reaching out to touch her shoulder, but she wrenched away. "I just didn't want to scare those people away. I know you're use to doing things your own way, so are we. But now we're part of a community and we have to adhere to their ways and rules. We have to at least give it a try, because what's the alternative? We keep going west? Try to find Sunny's mother who is more than likely dead? This could be the only safe place left in the world where we can live normally. Do you really want to take that away from us? Away from Sunny? Do you want us to go back out there with the demons and bandits? I don't know about you, but I've certainly had my fill of them altogether."

Emmi scuffed the toe of her shoe against the edge of the bar. "Fine. I'll try, but I'm still not going to Church."

"That's fine. They didn't say that Church was mandatory, but I'm planning on going and taking Sunny with me if that's alright."

"Okay." Emmi picked up the stool and tucked it against the edge of the bar. "I'm still tired. I'm going to go try out the bed."

She disappeared into the second bedroom. Once she was out of ear shot, Michael turned to me, "Yemina, I swear to God that if she fucks this up for us I'll kill her myself."

"Shh, don't say that."

"No, I'm as serious as a stroke. If she keeps on I'm gonna go in there and smother her with a pillow in her sleep before I let her mess this up. What the hell is her problem!? Does she _want _to be out there with all that danger out there? I say we let her. Give her a backpack and bow and let her have at it."

"Michael, you are not going to smother anyone," I told him sternly. "She needs time to adjust. She's been through a lot what with loosing her father and having to take care of Sunny by herself and that was before she met us. Remember everything that has happened since then? With the cabin and several days ago? She's probably still suffering from extreme anxiety because of it all and doesn't trust anything right now. So we have to be patient with her and hope that she learn to relax while she's here. Okay? Go easy on her."

Michael didn't look convinced, but he relented. "I'm sorry. I just want all of this to work out. I was able to sleep last night without worrying about something happening to me while I slept. That was a feeling that I missed. Just this calm and peace without worrying if I'm going to live to see tomorrow. Sometimes, I worry that this is all a dream and that I'm going to wake up in that car again and all of this will be gone."

Emmi was afraid to be here and Michael was afraid to leave here. Me, I just wanted to be safe and this was the best we may ever find. I left him to give Sunny a bath. I talked to her about going to school and how she could play on the swing set with Becky's daughter. Sunny asked a lot of questions, many of which I answered with a 'we'll have to wait and see'. She wanted to know what she would be taught, what color the swing sets were, and kind of lunches she would get.

While I lathered shampoo in her hair, she said, "Simon hadn't visit me in a long time."

"Since when?"

"Since we left the house that burned down."

Was it a good or bad thing that Simon wasn't around anymore? There was no reason to be afraid of him. He's done nothing to harm us and he saved Sunny's life twice now. This also reassured me of our being here. If Sunny was in danger would he not intervene?


	3. The Pool

Emmi

I laid down for a while trying to ease the electrical thrill coursing through my body. It was as if I was being wound tighter and tighter like twisting road and any second I was going to undone in a chaotic spin. I barely slept last night and though my body wanted me to unwind and drift off, my mind kept running. I was considering taking a shower and seeing if that relaxed me, then Michael opened the door and came inside.

"I want to know what your problem is," Michael announced as he came in. Yet again he was trying to be the fix it all man of the tribe.

"I don't have a problem," I muttered pressing my face into the pillow.

"Really? Because you kept showing your ass to that couple and you tried to start a fight with the Sheriff last night, you just about got us banned." I heard the door shut and I could feel his annoying presence in the room.

I pushed myself up knowing that he wasn't going to leave until we had it out. "You and Yemina are so eager to be here that you guys are ignoring or not seeing some of the things I've noticed."

"Such as?" Michael had his arms crossed and was leveling me with a hard look. As he was getting ready to call bullshit on whatever I said.

"The angels at the cabin, they completely ignored us. None of them tried to help us or talk to us. They were too busy fighting those demons like we didn't rate a second thought to them." I sat at the edge of the bed with my hands hanging between my knees. "Why would these angels care then?"

"I'm sure there's a simple explanation for that. We haven't been here long enough to learn why," Michael waved away my concern as trivial. "Still no reason to be an ass to the Thorntons."

"That's another thing, the Thorntons. They. . . I don't know . . .they were trying hard. I mean, like, they were trying to sell us on this place and that . . . well . . . they were trying to convince themselves that this place was so good." I had seen how strained their smiles were and how Becky and George kept glancing at each other as if wanting to reassure each other the truth of what they were saying.

"Maybe they were uneasy about meeting new people. Jeez, they brought us a casserole, not a bomb." Michael rubbed the back of his head.

"See, you two want to stay so bad you're only seeing what you want to see." I stood up and nudged past him, "I'm going out for walk."

"Don't start trouble," he warned me.

"Oh, I'm just going to go around and throw rocks through windows and maybe find a spray can and paint my name on the walls." I was relieved to see that Yemina and Sunny weren't in the living room and I was able to leave without having to deal with another lecture.

Michael followed me to give me one more warning, "I'm serious, Emmi, don't start anything."

I slam the door shut and trotted down the stairwell to the ground level. As I past the window of an apartment, I could see a man reading on the couch and I was reminded that if someone saw me they were going to want to "welcome" me. I turned the corner and was able to duck back just as a jogger came by. At first, I thought she was running away from something, but then I noticed the gait she went and that she had an MP3 player flicked to her shoulder strap with white earphones plugged into her ears.

I turned onto the opposite direction she went. I could see a sign pointing in the direction of a pool with a thick white arrow. It was as good a place as any to walk to. I followed the street and as I walked I glanced up at the marble round building top on what the natives were calling the Head Office. So Angels lived up there? Wouldn't we have seen any flying over head? I bet if I asked the people would say that it was too early and they were still sleeping or something.

As I got to the fence around the pool, I saw that there was someone swimming. A dark hair girl who looked to be my age was climbing out of the pool. She was wearing a black two piece bathing suit and she looked as if she had an Asian background. She saw me when I approached the fence and waved at me.

"So you come to check out the pool or to avoid the greeters?" She slung a thick white towel over her shoulder and approached me still dripping.

"I guess you could say that. I had a fill of it with the Thorntons," I said resting a hand on the chain link fence.

"Oh, them." The girl rolled her eyes and tilted her head. "They think because they got more offspring than rabbits they're the second Brady Bunch."

I nodded, knowing what she meant. "Yeah, I thought their mouths were going to stretch out of shape from all the smiling."

"I'm Ashley Towelsy," she stopped at the edge fo the fence.

"Emily Johnson, but just call me Emmi. Everybody does," I shifted my feet suddenly feeling nervous. I was still wearing soiled clothes and I remembered how judgmental the girls at my old school were and this girl had the air of being so too.

"You can come to this side of the fence if you want to. The pool's not private."

The gate was a few feet away. The pool was a long rectangle shape with one end shallow and the other end deep. There was a diving board at that end. I walked with Ashley to the row of lounge chairs. She laid back in one wrapping the towel around her shoulders.

I sat down on the one next to hers, but didn't lay back. I didn't see the need. If I wanted to lay down I'd go back and go to bed. I toyed with my braid, "What's it like being here?"

"Boring." Ashley smoothed her wet hair behind her shoulders. Her hair hung down her back, nearly toward her hips.

I wasn't expecting that answer. "How so?"

"There's nothing to do!" Ashley turned her head towards me. "The adults want to turn this place into a neighborhood that you see from _Leave It to Beaver. _The husbands like smoke their pipes and have cookouts while wives visit and gossip while sharing recipes and casseroles. Oh, and their kids run wild and whine. They want to forget how everything is going to hell."

"So, everything is on the up and up? This is really a safe place?" I inquired.

"So safe it's boring. As long as the angels work their wards and charms, then no demons will come here, I assure you." She flexed her ankles as if working out a kink and then folded her hands behind her head. "Why? Do you think they cannibalize or sacrifice people to demons?"

"What!? No!" Then I was morbidly intrigued, "Is that happening out there?"

"Oh yes, in some remote places. Especially in rural areas that are far from towns or cities for scavenging," she said casually as she sun bathed. "Some people have started worshiping the demons which of course only stokes their egos and they let the humans leave until they get the passing fancy to kill them. That's why they're here, to kill all humans."

"Yeah, but why?"

"The better question is why not?"

I stared at her for a moment, not certain of how to respond, but then nodded. "Why not?"

"Think of it like this; history is full of the stronger racer killing off the weaker race. White settlers with guns and disease ridden blankets killed and driven the Native Americans from their own lands. Austrailians killing the Aborigines, and lets not forget the Holocaust." She numbered each of these off on her fingers. "And that's not even mentioning the Crusades, the two World Wars, and the the Salem Witch Trials when the point of a finger guaranteed torture and death."

"So . . . you're saying that humanity deserves this?" I was amazed by her. Or perhaps I was horrified.

"No, no one really deserves being massacred, it's just nature. The demons are stronger than humans therefore it's only natural that they would kill off the human race to make room for their own kind." Ashley kicked her legs up and then swung upward into a sitting position. "Well, I soaked up my daily dose of cancer rays for the day. Want to come over to my place and watch DVDs?"

Her invitation sounded so casual and normal it was surreal. It took me a moment to process and I nodded, "Sure, what movies do you have?"

She stood and led the way to the gate, "Oh, everything. I got the classics like Alfred Hitchcock to Stephen Spielberg. I even have some stuff from Michael Bay."

Even before the Apocalypse I rarely got invited over by other girls. I had been different from them as I rather go out hunting with Dad then shopping or buying hiking boots instead of high heels. I kept waiting for Ashley to ask what girly material things I was interested in, but she never did. And for the first time, I was able to relax and enjoy being here.

* * *

Yemina

Michael, Sunny, and I spent the day touring the community. There was a pool, a small playground, and a picnic area which was used for gatherings and potlucks. We learned there was a charm on the small market at the edge of the Community that would replenish the food or produce each day. Like a time reversal so there was always plenty and the inhabitants would help themselves. The same went for the clothing store so everyone had new clean clothes. Some women would take the clothes and used them as materials for other types of clothes. A long dress could be turned into a pair of pants for a child or a man's shirt would become a skirt for a petite woman.

While we were at the clothing store we selected what we needed. Sunny became impatient as I made her try on several pairs of pants and shirts, but I told her firmly that we should be grateful that good clothes were available without our endangering ourselves scavenging to get them. When we left we each had several pairs of pants and shirts and each of us had dress clothes.

Each time we met someone new we were greeted warmly. They shook our hands and adored Sunny who would cling to my leg hiding her face. I began to worry that our incident with the bandits had made her frightened of strangers. Each time, I would encourage her to wave or say hello, but she would only do so quickly and then resume her strangle hold on my leg.

When 5:00 rolled around we went to the Central Building. People were already walking some carrying dishes. I felt ashamed that I hadn't thought to bring anything, but then what would I make? My cooking skill was limited to back of the package recipes.

The Central Building reminded me of my old school with hard wood floors, white walls, and posters that offer words of encouragement and caution. Warnings against drinking and driving, who to contact for thoughts of suicide, and the various phone numbers for help lines. The main room doubled as a school room and therapy room. People were grouping the chairs into a large circle. The kids were taken outside to play by a chaperone and the adults took their spots at the circle.

Michael and I sat side by side, both of us not sure of what was going to happen. I was going to take the sit quietly and wait to see what happens approach when a handsome man sat beside me. His hair was a rich brown and thick. He was in need of a hair cut, but the hair framed a strong jaw and a slightly crooked nose likely from being broken in a past accident or fight. His eyes were a deep blue and seemed to glitter brightly when he smiled which was perfect with straight white teeth. Warmth flowed through my chest and arms when I saw him and more so when he spoke to me.

"Hey, I'm Riley Kyles, I'm Becky's brother." He held out a hand toward me.

I took his hand and was surprised by how rough and hard it felt. I provided my name and introduced Michael. I said, "I'm not sure of what to expect?'

"Oh, it's your simple group therapy session." He had small twang in his accent. He and Becky may have likely originated from the South. "We share our personal experiences and then pass around the tissues. They'll have you introduce yourselves and then if you feel up to it you can share your experience. There's no pressure or judgment here."

I felt more at ease listening to his voice. It had a rugged gravel to it that I found sexy. If he kept talking I would melt into a puddle. I realized that I was holding onto his hand and quickly let go. "That doesn't sound too bad." I hoped my cheeks weren't too red.

* * *

ARTHUR'S NOTE: Sorry if it seems slow. I promise there will be a pay off later on.


	4. Hooky

One Month Later . . . .

Yemina

In the weeks we've been apart of the Community I had my hair cut short just above my jawline and gained thirty pounds. My ribs were no longer visible and my pelvic bones didn't jut beneath my skin. My stomach was beginning to develop a bit of flab to it. I didn't care too much because being able to eat until I was full was a gift that I wasn't going to take for granted again. The kids were beginning to fill out with their faces no longer gaunt. Each of them needed a new set of clothes to fit them.

I wish I could say that each of the kids acclimated well, but Emmi still wouldn't socialize with the other inhabitants and refuses to come to Church or Group. Sunny was doing alright, however she was nervous and didn't want to leave my side. I tried to make her go to school with the other kids, but each time I spoke to her about it, she would start to cry and begged me not to make her go. Finally, after three weeks, I firmly took her by the hand and walked her to the Central Building. After assuring her that Emmi would pick her up from school and that nothing would happen to her and she would have a good time at school, I left her there despite her tears and pleas. I was afraid that I had been too harsh, but after that day she insisted on dressing herself and walking to school by herself. Michael fit in the best. He was already playing basketball with the other teens and hanging at with them in the picnic area just before curfew.

Meanwhile, I've been getting to know Riley Kyles. It started out as smiles and flirting before and after Group sessions, but then we would drift away from the others to speak privately. Before the Apocalypse, he had been a part time mechanic and on and off handyman. When his sister's family showed up at his door when the meteors fell, he was the one who took them into his cramped trailer and left with them when it became too dangerous to stay. He didn't go into too much detail of what they did in the early days, but eventually they found a small group of people who were staying out in an isolated manor in Middle America.

During one of our late night conversations, he told me of what occurred in the manor.

"We had beds and a room over our heads, but there was no food or medicine," Riley told me while we sat apart from each other at a picnic table away from the barbecue going on several yards away. "The leader was this big man in his fifties. He was older, but he had muscle. I think he part of a biker gang because he always wore this beat up leather jacket and had tattoos on his arms and shoulders. He was an asshole and his wife wasn't any better. They were in charge of rationing out what little food, water, and medicine, but they did it by damn lottery."

"Lottery?" I could see his face harden and held his hand tightly to let him know I was there for him.

"Yeah, it was stupid as hell. They took everyone's name and put it in a fishbowl," he raked a hand through his hair as he trying to erase the memories from his brain. "Each day they would draw a number of names from the bowl based on how many supplies we had. The people whose names were drawn got to eat and drink and got medicine if they needed it. Everyone else had to wait and hope that their name was drawn the next day. A lot of people would go days without eating anything."

"Shit." That sounded horrible. I remembered the days before we met Emmi and Sunny that Michal and I had gone without food. That gnawing at your stomach and you looked at anything and wondered if it was safe to swallow just to keep the hunger pains away. My deepest secret which I never shared at Group or with Michael was that I found a can of cat food with a removable lid. I devoured it all with gusto and hid the can, not wanting Michael to know I ate something without sharing it with him. Guilt weighed heavily on me when Michael stayed up that night, unable to sleep due to hunger pangs. "With there being eight of you, that must have been rough."

"Yeah, whenever one of us won the lottery we would spread among us it, but after dividing it eight ways, it was enough to feed a mouse. Two of our names were called once and that was a feast for us that day." Riley said.

"The other families wouldn't have been happy about that either," I said.

"No, they weren't, but there wasn't much they could do. It was safe at the manor with beds and no one wanted to go back out there with demons. Anybody that complained, Mr. and Mrs. Bastard would say that we should work harder at hunting and scavenging so there was enough for everyone." Riley's eyes became dark as his thick brows furrowed. "I told those bastards that I wasn't going to do any hunting unless I was guaranteed that whatever I got my family got a part of it. I like to say that we came to an agreement peacefully, but I got a black eye and the bastard got a bloody nose before we did came to those terms."

"What made you finally leave?"

"We just had enough of it."

I noticed that he was no longer looking me in the eyes and I knew he was keeping something back from me. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"Naw, it helps." he gave me a small smile. "It ain't no worse than any other sob story we've heard at Group."

We sat there in silence with the coming night over us. I glanced up at the sky. The stars were slowly making their appearance as if timid and shy. Fireflies were coming out much to the kids delight. Sunny was squealing with the other girls her small hands outstretch to catch a glowing dot. Here I was able to forget about the hell beyond the walls. Here, I was able to sit quietly with a nice handsome man without fearing for my life or wondering where my next meal was coming.

"We can forget about all of that now," I told him. "This is a good place to start over and forget."

"Yeah, it is. Isn't it?" He gave me one of his warm stares that sent warm tingles through my body. "Do you . . . want to have coffee sometime? There isn't any cafe or coffee shops around, but I have a coffee maker I can wrestle a cup out of."

He was inviting me over. God, I wanted to go with him, but I glanced over at Sunny. She was still sleeping with me each night even though she had her own bed. Could she do without me for one night? Would it be selfish of me to think about my needs instead of hers for once?

"I . . .I would like to, but tonight isn't good for me. Sunny started school recently and it's a big adjustment for her." God, that sounded like a flimsy excuse even to me. I liked him, and I wanted him to know it. "Maybe another time?"

Before I could hear his response, Sunny ran up. "Katie peed!"

I glanced up to where Katie Thornton was playing. The five year old was a younger version of her mother as were her older sister Mary Anne. At the front of her pants was a large wet stain. Becky went forward quickly to collect the girl and take her home.

"Bless her heart," I said drawing Sunny onto my lap.

"She's been having problems too. It wasn't kind on her out there," Riley said watching his sister take his niece home.

"I pee peed in my pants once. Just once!" Sunny stoutly held up one finger. "Katie pee pees in her pants all the time!"

"Don't make fun of her," I told her firmly. "Are you ready to go home?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, let's go."

She scooted off my lap and I stood. I turned to Riley and said, "Another night, I promise."

* * *

Michael

Yemina was taking Sunny home and Emmi was no where to be seen, again. What did she do all the time? At least she wasn't causing trouble or getting us kicked out of here.

I was sitting on the edge of a picnic table with a near empty can of coke beside me. The other kids my age were already packing it in with their parents except for Rex. Rex Bitsby was seventeen years old and likes to sneak beer from his dad's cooler and shares it with us.

Rex dropped into the table bench and plopped his can of coke on the ground at his feet. "Checking out your milf?"

"What?" I looked at him confused.

"Ya know. Mother I'd Love to Fuck. What are her titties like?"

He was drunk. I could smell it on his breath and I knew if I smelled his coke can that was where it was. He would pour out the soda from the can and fill it up with beer so he could drink without the adults finding out. "Jeez, man, I don't know that shit."

"C'mon! I know you and her were out there alone together for months. You're tellin' me ya didn't get a piece of that ass?" He shoved my shoulder.

I shrugged off his hand, "Look, it wasn't like that! I was too scared out of my mind and hungry to think like that."

"No matter how scary demons are, I never stop thinking about pussy and titties." Rex snorted. "If I had been you, I would have been gettin' pussy every night!"

Rex's family was one of the first ones to be here when the Community first started. He hardly spent anytime hiding from monsters and starving. When I first got here he and his buddies bugged me to tell them stories. They expected me to tell it as if it was an action movie or an adventure. I told them enough to make them not want to hear anymore.

"Don't talk about her like that. You don't know what it's like out there. She really helped me out just like I helped her out." I was squeezing my coke can enough to indent the sides.

"C'mon, you can tell me the truth. Ain't any kids around here. What did her pussy taste like?"

I didn't know what I was doing until my fist connected with his face. He fell off the bench with blood rushing from his nose. He stared at with wide eyes. I got off the picnic table and stood over him with both fists clench. "I can't stop you from thinking about her like that, but I sure as hell can stop you talking about her like that around me. Each time you do, I'll knock your teeth down your throat and you'll be shitting them out for a week."

Rex stared at me and then nodded. I turned and walked away tossing my can into the trash bin. Shit, I may have gotten us kicked out of here, but I don't think that Rex is going to run to his parents with beer on his breath.

My fist hurt like hell though.

* * *

Next Day

Emmi

I waited behind the Central Building by the basketball court. I got up half an hour earlier than Sunny and Yemina and dressed and grabbed a bagel to eat on the way out. I hung out around the Central Building while the kids showed up for 'school'. Then Sunny showed up in denim shorts a white tee with her backpack on her back. She trotted toward the basketball court and beamed at me happily, "Can we watch Wizard of Oz with Ashley?"

"Sure, why not?" I took her by the hand and led her away from the Central Building towards the apartment where Ashley lived.

The first day Yemina forced Sunny into the school, I found Sunny crying on a bench outside of the Central Building begging me to take her home. I knew if I took her home Yemina would get mad so I took her to the pool. Ashley didn't seem to mind so I left Sunny with her and let the teacher know where Sunny was and that she needed more time before she came to school. Each morning, I wait out by the basketball court and take Sunny to Ashley's. She started dressing herself so she could wearing her bathing suit beneath and swim at the pool. Ashley's pool was pretty secluded so I didn't worry too much about someone seeing her out of school.

Once we got to Ashley's I asked her if she had Wizard of Oz.

"Sure, one second." She grabbed the humongous dvd sleeve book and flipped through it until she found the right dvd and popped it into the player.

We pretty much had the apartment to ourselves because Ashley said her Dad did guard duty on the walls all day and came in at night. While the dvd started I got out a couple of cokes and some juice for Sunny. She didn't handle carbonated drinks well, they made her very hyper. "Ashley, do you want Sprite or Dr. Pepper?"

"Neither, I want to show you something." Ashley stood at the door, "Will she be alright by herself?"

"Yeah, one sec." I squatted down beside her, "Sunny, listen, just sit here and watch Wizard of Oz. I'll be back soon with Ashley."

Sunny was already gone, her large eyes taking in the dreary black and white world of Dorothy's life before Oz. I stepped outside with Ashley and followed her around the building and then down the street. She wouldn't tell me what it was she found, but she seemed excited and walked urgently with me struggling to keep up with her. I trotted after her anxious to see what she was so excited about. There were hedges against the edge of the wall and she walked directly to them.

"Ashely, what is it?" I asked for fifth time since we left her apartment.

This time she finally answered me by brushing aside the bushes and showed me the hole. It was small, but she and I could easily crawl through on our stomachs. "We could go outside if we wanted to."

"And why would we want to?" I asked staring at the hole. I could see the grass on the other side for the first time in weeks.

"Because its boring in here." Ashley let the bushes slip back into place hiding the hole. "We wouldn't go far and this place is hidden so there are no demons out there to molest or rape us."

Dread crawled through me like a diseased worm. I remembered the demons at the cabin and what they had done to me. The terror of being held down and exposed and touched. I swallowed and felt cold sweat on my forehead. I must have gone pale because Ashley noticed my horror. "What is it?"

"Nothing." I shook my head.

"No, something happened to you. What was it?" She looked at my face intrigued.

"I said it was nothing." I turned away, "We better head back, Sunny will probably get worried."

"You were raped, weren't you?"

I spun around angry, "No! I wasn't raped!"

"Then they checked if you were a virgin since you're so young." Ashley tilted her head as her eyes studied me. "That's what happened wasn't it?"

I was amazed that she pin pointed what had happened so exactly. "I . . .I don't want to talk about it."

"Alright, that's fine." She shrugged her shoulders and walked by me with with so much as a glance.

I stood there watching my feet as if they held all the answers. I heard my teeth grind together in my mouth and I nearly chocked on the words that followed, "Y-yeah, they . . . they checked . . .but that was as far as it went."

"Then don't worry about it." Ashley stopped walking away without turning around. A light breeze picked up several dark strands of her hair. "So a demon gave you a little poke in the soft spot. No big deal. Just forget about it."

"Yeah, I'll forget about." Truth is, as much as I would want to forget what happened, it would still haunt me. Every time I laid down in bed, I would get a quick flash, just for one second, of ugly horrible faces leering down at me. Sometimes I would see them in my dreams and I would wake up kicking and hitting to get free from them. Thankfully, Michael was a heavy sleeper and my waking nightmares didn't seem to bother him in the least.

"Let's go by the store and get a pizza." Ashley suggested as we trudged back. "It won't take long and Sunny will be alright."

"That's fine," I said.

* * *

Sunny

Emmi left with Ashley, leaving me all alone. I like Wizard of Oz, but the tornado with everything flying is scary. I'm scared that one day I'll get sucked up inside one and not see Daddy or Emmi or Mommy or Michael no more. I know where stop is on the remote so I press it and stop the movie. Emmi says I have to stay inside, but I don't want to cause I got my bathing suit on and I wanted to swim. I'm not a real good swimmer, but I know to stay in the part where my feet touch.

I get a big fluffy towel from Ashley's closet and go outside. The sun is really bright and shiny and it makes the water look shiny too. I really want to swim now. I outside, but there's an angel out there by the pool. He's really tall, taller than Daddy! He also has great big wings! He said he wanted to be my friend, he said that a Watcher was dangerous and wanted to hurt me. I think he was talking about Simon, but Simon has been nice and helps us bunches! I tell the angel so, but the angel looked sad and said I didn't understand. He said that I was too in-no-cent and too na-ive!

I got scared when he said that he knew I wasn't going to school as I should be. He said that he could protect me from Simon if I went to school everyday. I didn't care. I wanted Simon to come visit me. I miss him. Sometimes Simon say things that were funny without meaning to, even though he can say mean things on purpose. I know Simon, but I don't know this angel. I didn't want to be near this angel anymore, I thought angels were nice, but this angel was saying bad things about Simon. I tell the angel I was sleepy and I wanted to take a nap ( even though I'm too big for naps, I just wanted to get away from him). He said he could take me to Central Building for me to nap, but I tell him no and go inside before he could tell me anything else I didn't like.

I lock the door so he wouldn't come in. I peek out the window and he's still standing there watching me! I get scared and afraid, but then his big wings go woosh and he goes up in the air and goes away! I didn't like him, but I like seeing him fly away, that was neat! I play Wizard of Oz until Emmi comes back with her new friend. They don't bother me, they go into Ashley's room and talk about boring things until it's time to take me back home. They even brought back a pizza and let me have some!

Emmi always reminds me that me staying out of school was a secret. I know how to keep secrets! I'm smart and I'm a big girl!


End file.
